Getting SOA done through governance...

According to the SOA-RM, the central focus of service-oriented architecture is getting something done at a business level. In fact, Michael Poulin recently published an excellent article to explore this theme.

Considering the SOA Reference Model
...The function is something the organization cannot exist without; the organization business model is the combination of such functions while the actual implementation of the function is the secondary category. Unfortunately, up 'til now, the majority of IT applications fit exactly into that category. Now SOA creates an opportunity for IT to become the business partner and perform as a function for its enterprise rather than just a support provider

The article rightly points out that the partnership between business and IT is a crucial aspect of a successful SOA. The same goes for SOA governance. This is a key point that Eric Marks and Michael Bell's emphasize in their discussion of governance in "Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA): A Planning and Implementation Guide for Business and Technology."

Technology products, such as a UDDI registry, are the tools which enable a governance processes that fit the organization. The governance processes, frameworks, and policies defined by the enterprise determine the fit to be achieved. Technology, once again, serves as a key enabler, but ultimately should not define the SOA governance model.